Granny Smith apples sold at Mike's Discount Foods stores in Anoka and Fridley are being recalled for Listeria, E. coli and Salmonella. Consumers who have purchased these apples should not eat them as they risk serious illness if they do.
The apples are being recalled by Northstar Produce Inc. of St. Louis Park, Minnesota. The apples are being recalled because they tested positive for all three bacteria. No illnesses had been reported at the time of the recall, but Listeria infections can take as long as 70 days after exposure to develop.
Listeria monocytogenes can cause a serious, sometimes fatal infection called listeriosis. Those most at risk are young children, seniors, those with weakened immune systems and pregnant women among whom listeriosis can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, … [Read more...]

Sun Rich Fresh Foods Inc. is recalling apple slices for Listeria in Canada. One illness has been reported.
The apple slices were sold at Starbucks, Subway and grocery stores. Consumers who have purchased this product should not eat it as Listeria can cause serious illness and death.
Listeria poisoning causes vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headache and neck stiffness. Pregnant women, seniors, people with compromised immune systems and young children are most at risk. Among pregnant women Listeria infections can cause miscarriage and stillbirth.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have updated the outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections linked to commercially produced, prepackaged caramel apples made from Bidart Brothers apples. The outbreak appears to be over, but the recalled products may still be in consumers' homes. Even if you froze these products, discard them, since Listeria can grow at freezer temperatures.
In all, 35 people in 12 states were sickened in this outbreak. There were seven deaths and 34 hospitalizations. Listeriosis contributed to at least three of the seven deaths. Eleven illnesses were pregnancy-related; one illness resulted in a fetal loss. Three children developed Listeria meningitis, a serious complication of this infection. In addition, two people in Canada were sickened with … [Read more...]

National food safety law firm PritzkerOlsen, P.A. filed a lawsuit for a mother and baby sickened in the Listeria monocytogenes outbreak linked to caramel apples.
In late October of 2014, a member of Cathy Jone’s family purchased several prepackaged caramel apples from the Smith’s store located at 4016 Louisiana Boulevard Northeast, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Cathy Jones, pregnant at the time, ate one.
On November 7, she began to feel ill. On November 8, her son was born several months prematurely. The baby was diagnosed with Listeria monocytogenes. He stayed in the hospital neonatal intensive care unit for over four weeks.
Health officials from the New Mexico Department of Health performed pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) testing on the sample of Listeria monocytogenes taken … [Read more...]

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Scotian Gold Co-operative Limited are recalling Scotian Gold brand apple slices that used apples sourced from the U.S. that are recalled for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. There is an outbreak in Canada and the United States linked to apples packed by Bidart Brothers. In the U.S., 32 people are sick; 2 people are sick in Canada. No illnesses have been associated with the consumption of these specific products.
The recalled products are Scotian Gold Tart Apple Slices in 300 gram packages, with best before 14DE22 to 15JA23 and UPC number 0 61430 00301 6. Also recalled are Scotian Gold Apple Snacks to Go! - Sliced Apples - Tart! in 454 gram packages with best before 14DE18 to 15JA26 and UPC number 0 61430 22454 1. Finally, Scotian … [Read more...]

Consumers are frustrated with the lack of information federal health officials are providing about the Bidart Brothers apple recall. Bidart Brothers apples have been linked to a caramel apple Listeria outbreak that has sickened at least 32 people in 11 states, killing six of them. Now, all the Gala and Granny Smith apples the company packed in 2014 have been recalled for Listeria, but consumers aren't being told which stores sold them or which brand names they were sold under. Instead, they are being advised to contact the store where they were purchased and ask who the supplier was. The comment sections for online stories about the recall have summed up the advice, euphemistically, in one word: ridiculous.
So far, the two brand names for Bidart Bros. Gala and Granny Smith apples that … [Read more...]

Food safety investigators in the United States are still probing to decipher what caused the deadly outbreak of Listeria poisoning associated with commercially made caramel apples, including whether there are common sources of caramel, caramel ingredients, sticks, or packaging to the various makers of these caramel apples. So far, the biggest common denominator between companies involved in the recall of potentially contaminated caramel apples is Bidart Brothers, the fruit supplier.
Based on documents released so far by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), California-based Bidart Bros. was first briefed about its possible involvement in the outbreak by FDA officials on December 22. On that same day, the company issued a recall of … [Read more...]

It's been two weeks since the multistate Listeria outbreak linked to prepackaged, commercially prepared caramel apples was announced. The outbreak has now sickened 32 people in 11 states. Six deaths have been reported.
As details of traceback investigations into the source of the outbreak have emerged, a link to apples produced by Bidart Brothers of Bakersfield, Calif. has been established. But the company has never issued a recall. At least not publicly.
In its December 31 update on the outbreak, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Bidart Brothers has issued two recalls. "On December 22, 2014, Bidart Bros. issued a recall of Granny Smith apples it sold in 2014 to those customers known to produce caramel apples. Then, on December 24, 2014, Bidart Bros. notified all … [Read more...]